The burning sun rises behind the grand palace, illuminating the glorious architecture. Marvel at the towering pillars of golden sandstone, and their huge domes and minarets. Watch as the morning light slowly casts upon the rest of the city, and the vast treacherous desert beyond.

Ah, Agrabah… we have been here before. Perhaps many times. But this kingdom never fails to stun and amaze with its majesty, yes?

But be honest with yourselves, my friends… it's the stories you crave. You know that this land has yielded many exciting tales - all abundant with adventure. Danger. Darkness. Love.

Darkness and Love. Always so at odds with one another. It seems that a person can only carry one with them at a time. It is what defines someone as good or evil. Such is the way of things. An order that is rarely challenged.

But things are not always what they seem. The sands are always shifting here… the landscape is always changing. And there are indeed big changes in store.

But this particular tale doesn't begin here. Instead it starts deep beneath the earth, where Darkness reigns… and where Death himself is visited by an unexpected guest . . .

The Lord of the Underworld, the god Hades, sat in solitude in a dark cavern. He was the Grecian deity of death and the afterlife, but he wasn't happy with his lot in life. He was stuck with this job for all eternity, and it was… well, extremely gloomy and depressing down here. So he was utilizing this moment of quiet to think about how he'd manage to get out of this dump and show up his brother, Zeus.

But he was interrupted by his thoughts by the sound of the heavy stone door to the cavern opening and closing.

Hades shot up from his throne, his meaty hands forming into fists.

"Who dares enter here and disturb me?" He demanded, furious and annoyed. "Can't you see I'm busy contemplating and hating my dreadful existence?!"

"Hades, I presume?" a sultry feminine voice called from the shadows.

The god froze. "Ohhhh, a lady." Hades grinned darkly, and quickly wet his hand to sleek back the flames that adorned his head. "I hope you're not just another dead broad hoping to win your life back. Flattery is welcomed, babe, but isn't gonna get you anywhere."

"I'm very much alive," the voice answered. Hades spotted a pair of eyes glowing green in the darkness. A womanly figure began to emerge from the shadows. Hades admired her slender legs, her form-fitting attire that readily revealed her curves… but he was aghast when he laid eyes on her face. A cat's face.

"But I am no lady."

"Jeez! This got weird fast." Hades grumbled, looking the stranger up and down. "Got the body of a chick, the head of a kitty cat." He rubbed his long chin thoughtfully, and his mischievous grin returned. "I guess I could work with that…"

The cat-headed woman hissed quietly. "You couldn't and won't. I'm not here to seduce you… I'm here to make a deal."

"Eh, whatever… a deal?" the god's sharp-toothed grin widened. "I'm good with those. Kinda my specialty." Hades narrowed his yellow eyes. "But who are you?"

"I am… Mirage… sorceress and Evil Incarnate. Perhaps a display of power is in order?"

The sorceress, stone-faced, slowly raised her clawed hand, locking eyes with Hades. The god tensed. If she tried anything on him, he'd quickly show her who's boss and make her a permanent resident in a second.

But she grinned, revealing her pointed feline fangs. Her gaze snapped upwards to the ceiling, and she slashed at the air as she let out a cat-like yowl.

Green magic rippled through the air above, and it hit a massive stalactite, cutting the stone into several clean, even slices. The demolished rock fell and crashed loudly onto the floor.

"Hey, HEY!" The fire on Hades' skull burned a bright red with anger. "You can't just waltz in here and make a mess of my home!" Bad kitty.

"Pain! Panic!"

"Not impressed?" Mirage questioned in a dangerous tone. She then observed two meek-looking imps scrambling into the cavern. They peered warily at Mirage as they passed her, but hurried to cower before their Master, eager to please.

"Clean this mess up!" Hades ordered his lackeys.

"You have minions too, I see." Mirage noted, as she watched them struggle to lift rock three times their own weight. She decided with pride that the monsters she controlled were far more intimidating than these imbeciles. She'd already outdone a god in at least one department.

"Anyway, Hades. Sorry for that. But perhaps now you'll be more keen to hear what I have to say." Mirage daringly stepped closer to the dark god, her hips swaying. "There is… a soul in your possession, one that does not belong. One that came from a land far from Greece. A land called… Agrabah."

"I know him. We met." Hades recalled. "Cool guy, kinda crazy. Already forgot his name though…"

"Jafar."

"Yeah, him. We had a go at pitting our nemeses against each other. It was fun while it lasted, but he's joined the other souls now. What do you want with that guy?"

"He was a powerful sorcerer in his day, I'm sure you know. And he and I have a common enemy in Aladdin…" Mirage went on, her vivid green eyes flashing. "You will bring him back to the world of the living, so he can join me in eradicating that brat once and for all."

"Whoa whoa whoa, Whiskers. I 'will'?" Hades stepped forward, towering over the sorceress. "This is my domain. I'm the one that makes the demands around here. You're already pushing it."

"Fair enough. But what I offer in return is invaluable. In exchange for his restoration, he and I will be… your allies."

"Why would I want that?" Hades frowned, uninterested. "He didn't do too great a job for me before. And that… crazy laugh he had… ugh! Headaches for days."

"With our powers combined, he and I will be a most formidable force." Perhaps even rivaling the power of a god like you, Mirage fantasized in secrecy. "When the time is right, you can call upon us, and we'll fight for your cause. I know you have a desire for far more than what you were bestowed…"

The sorceress purred menacingly. "But you don't much like getting your own hands dirty. Will you trust your… minions to get the job done every time? Or will you call upon your fellow villains with true power to back you up?"

The Lord of the Underworld considered this for several long moments. Mirage could tell that she'd captured his interest.

"Fine. You have yourself a deal." Hades concluded finally, extending his hand for Mirage to shake. She reached for it, but he suddenly jerked his hand away. "But! If you don't come when I send for you, or should you fail against my enemies… Jafar's a dead man and returns here, forever. And so do you… as my servant. Capiche?"

Mirage had expected Hades would come up with a less than desirable catch… but being a slave to the Underworld if they fail? She couldn't agree to that.

But they wouldn't fail. Together, their power would be far too great to be extinguished. She was absolutely confident in that. And she was, admittedly, desperate to best Aladdin by now. Her ego wouldn't allow for another defeat; she couldn't handle the notion that Agrabah was untouchable. She needed to increase her power, and presently, the only way to accomplish that was to join forces with another sorcerer that despised Aladdin as much as she did.

"Of course…" she finally agreed in a low hiss, reaching for his hand and taking it. His godly hand dwarfed hers, and she could feel his immense strength in his grip.

Then they shook hands, her destiny now sealed… as well as Jafar's.

"Nice doing business with you." Hades grumbled, releasing her hand. "It won't be easy finding him. Sounds like it's time for a nice, leisurely trip down the River Styx." Hades eyed the sorceress.

"You're basically a cat, aren't you? So wanna go fishing?"

Mirage peeled her lips back in a silent snarl.

The ghoulish waters of River Styx churned and twisted through the caverns of the Underworld, carrying with it a boat of two passengers, the god and his sorceress guest.

Mirage was thoroughly uncomfortable, sitting with her arms crossed and rubbing her shoulders. She had seen countless horrors in her many years, and embraced them. But boating among the swirling souls of the dead and hearing their agonized wails was enough to make even Mirage's skin crawl.

"There he is," Hades suddenly jerked forward, making the boat jerk with him.

Mirage was startled into jumping and grabbing the sides of the boat. When she was sure it wouldn't tip over, she let out a harsh sigh. "Was that necessary?" she scolded, but she was already following Hades' gaze. She had never seen Jafar before, only knew of him… and all these tortured souls looked the same to her.

"Well? Where is he?"

Hades pointed. "There." A thin, robed figure slowly floated past the boat. Mirage recognized the turban as obviously Arabian attire. She couldn't see his face.

"What are you waiting for, kitty?" Hades teased. "Go fish."

"I'm not touching that."

"Oh come on, it'll be fun," Hades urged, speaking to her like a mother would speak to a small child. "Just reach in… and pull him out! It isn't chariot science."

Mirage turned to scowl at the deity. He simply smiled in return, and it only pissed her off more. But she had come this far…

Mirage huffed, and bent over the side of the boat. She had to hurry before he drifted away. Taking a deep breath, she plunged her hand into the river. She screeched in fear, watching her hand change before her very eyes, becoming deathly wrinkled and hideous.

But Mirage pushed through her fear, and grabbed ahold of the collar of the spirit's cloak. She grunted with exertion as she heaved the ghostly body out of the river and onto the boat. Immediately she checked her hand, seeing it return to normal.

"Bravo!" Hades clapped tauntingly. "Now let's see the state of him, shall we?"

The spirit's cloak was twisted around his face, concealing it. Hades went to work unwrapping, and then he jerked back. "Ew… not great."

Jafar's spirit stared straight ahead, eyes wide and completely vacant. His mouth hung open in a silent eternal scream. It seemed like he was under some trance, his face frozen with the horror of the unending torment of the River Styx. It chilled Mirage to her very bones.

"Alright buddy, wake up!" Hades shook the soul of Jafar by the shoulders. "You got someone here to see you, babe."

To Mirage's relief, Jafar blinked once, and began to stir. Very stiffly, he turned his head to face whomever had pulled him from the river.

He yelped at the sight of Hades and Mirage staring down at him. "What do you want?!" Jafar seethed as he shielded his face with his bony hands, clearly still delirious. "Get away! Get away from me!"

"Oh jeez- Relax! It's me, Hades. You know me," Hades half-heartedly attempted to soothe the spirit just to move things along. "It's your lucky day. Mirage here is your ticket outta this joint."

Mirage knelt down beside Jafar, steadying herself as the shift in weight rocked the boat. 'Gentle' wasn't a trait she normally had, but she needed Jafar to be compliant. "You are to come with me, Jafar." she explained to him in a soft voice.

Jafar's soul seemed to regain his senses then, and he glared at Mirage with mistrust. "I suppose you intend to make me your servant? I'll do no such thing!"

"No! I intend for us to join forces. To collaborate. I'll return you to your former glory. And together we'll inflict the maximum pain upon who you hate most…

… Aladdin." Mirage spoke the name as if it tasted like poison on her tongue, but she savored Jafar's reaction. She could see recognition and hatred flash in his eyes at the mention of the boy who bested him.

Jafar sat up then, and looked Mirage up and down, studying her. He was certainly intrigued by the idea, but he didn't trust the sorceress and for good reason. He had heard of her…

"And if I refuse this… deal?" Jafar questioned, raising a brow, testing her.

"Then you can have it your way and be thrown back into the River Styx from whence you came," Mirage hissed, her vivid green eyes burning with impatience.

"Except you can't go back," Hades interjected. "We have a deal and it's binding, yadda yadda. So whether you like it or not, you're leaving with the crazy cat lady."

Mirage ignored Hades' offending remarks, and nodded to him knowingly. "Give him his gift..."

"Sure. Check this out, Jaffy. I've reforged your snake stick… thing." Hades revealed a cobra-headed staff and held it out for Jafar. "To sweeten the deal! As long as it's intact, you'll be flesh and blood. So try not to let it get broken again. Alright?"

Jafar stared at his precious staff, greedy for his new chance at life. Without wasting a moment, he swiped the staff from the god's hands.

"Ahhahahaha!" Jafar began to laugh maniacally with glee as color and solidity returned to his form. He could feel life pulsing through his veins! "I am alive at last! And I will FINALLY have my vengeance!" His laughter echoed through the caverns.

"Oi vey, here we go again…" Hades grumbled, rubbing his forehead. He quickly steered the boat to shore. "Get him outta here, will ya?"

Mirage chuckled darkly, casting the spell that would teleport them to her realm. "With pleasure."

Jafar vanished mid- evil outburst.

"Until we meet again, Hades!"

And with that, Mirage too instantly disappeared from sight.

Wow… what freaks, Hades thought to himself as he left the boat behind and slunk away into the darkness. They deserve each other.